Dec. 19, 2022

A restaurant specializing in Korean fried chicken has opened near the Western Mall.

Oppa Chicken is the creation of Leon Teng, who also owns Ramen Fuji on Minnesota Avenue, and his friend Ricky Ou, who worked at a Korean restaurant in New York.

For the first week, they’re limiting the menu to the fried chicken and appetizers while the staff becomes familiar with the menu, Teng said.

That still gives diners plenty of options. There are almost two dozen appetizer choices – from fried gyoza and shrimp shumai to Korean tacos and steamed buns.

The chicken wings come in six flavors. Diners can pick from traditional or boneless wings. Korean-style wings are thin-battered and fried twice to give them a light crispiness. The sauce is brushed on by hand, so it’s not too heavy.

At lunchtime, diners have the option of ordering a wings combo with five wings, a side and a soda. Oppa Chicken offers Pepsi products, beer, wine and sake. Eventually, it will have boba milk teas, fruit teas and matcha and taro slusies.

When the full menu arrives, diners will find popular Korean dishes such as bibimbap, tteokbokki, bull dak, japchae and bulgogi, along with traditional soups.

Oppa Chicken also will serve a Korean-style ramen and an udon noodle soup. Fried rice dishes will include choices of chicken, kimchi chicken, beef or shrimp.

Oppa, which means “older brother” in Korean, seats more than 50 people at tables and booths. Diners order at the counter, and the food is brought to their table.

The restaurant is in the former RedRossa Napoli Pizza space at 3412 S. Western Ave. It opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Delivery will be added eventually, Teng said.